The Traffic

"Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union Denies Plans to Join August 1 Protest"

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (PTD-NUPENG) has categorically denied plans to embark on a strike in support of the planned August 1 nationwide protest by some Nigerian youths.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the National Chairman of PTD-NUPENG, Comrade Augustine Egbon, expressed concerns that some external forces were attempting to infiltrate the union to promote the planned demonstration.

Egbon's statement comes after an online report attributed to a union member, Comrade Olaitan Idris, claimed that an industrial crisis was imminent. However, Egbon dismissed Idris's claims as false and baseless, affirming that the union's recent election in Lagos was well-represented and observed by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour.

The PTD-NUPENG chairman urged security agencies to interrogate Comrade Idris, alleging that he was being manipulated by forces collaborating with the masterminds of the August protest. Egbon reiterated that the union has no plans to strike and urged the federal government to identify and address those issuing threats of a strike during this critical period for the industry.

With this statement, PTD-NUPENG has distanced itself from the planned protest, ensuring the stability of the petroleum industry and alleviating concerns of potential fuel scarcity.